Seeing Thestrals
by TheUnknownMarauder
Summary: Slytherin. Death Eater spawn. Boy who can see thestrals. That's all Theodore is, to his Gryffindors year-mates. But if there is one event that he has carried in his mind all this time, it is this. One-shot.


Seeing Thestrals

Little Teddy sat in the playroom, building his statues up with the Wanda's Weird and Wonderful Wizarding Blocks and making Draco Malfoy laugh with his antics. Actually, he had no idea how he'd done it, but he had managed to make his Merlin statue dance and sing, and his snake was twining its long, blocky body around the legs of the lion, causing Draco to giggle helplessly as the lion stumbled around.

"That one's Grindelwald." Draco grinned, pointing at the statue in Theo's hands. "When you're done, make him 'n Merlin duel."

Teddy smiled back. "They wouldn't do that! And besides, they haven't got wands."

"But mine don't do that! It's not fair! All they do is sometimes move their arms and stuff." Draco pouted.

"Maybe later, Drake."

Wizarding Blocks, designed to be controlled by a child's own magic. If little Teddy knew he was more powerful than many of his friends, he didn't act it.

* * *

Nine years old and tall for his age, Theodore Nott blew out the candles on his cake. He deftly scooped up a chunk of the cake and launched himself at Draco, who yelped as he suddenly found his face and hair covered in chocolate.

"I'll get you back for that, you stupid toad hugger!"

"If you can!" Theo shouted gleefully. He sprinted away, only to trip as a piece of cake hit him squarely between the shoulders.

"Nobody gets away with hitting Draco like that!" Crabbe shouted.

Theo retaliated by scooping up a handful of cake, and hitting Crabbe with it, and then throwing some more cake at Goyle, too, because that was the Smart Thing to do, because _everyone_ knew that Crabbe and Goyle were Draco's lackeys, and then Pansy, Pansy-with-the-turned-up-nose-that-made-her-look-like-a-pug, decided that she wanted a share in all the fun, and pretty soon all fifteen children were laughing and throwing cake at each other, even wet-blanket Adrian Pucey who thought he was much too good for their games because he had started _Hogwarts_ this year, and Theo's mother was running around muttering about what should I do, my cake's all ruined as well as the children's best dress robes and what'll I tell their mothers…

All in all, it was the best birthday party Theo had ever had, and his magic seemed to agree, humming happily.

* * *

"I'm very disappointed in you, Theodore."

His mother stared down her nose at him, frowning.

"That was extraordinarily irresponsible of you, Theodore. What were you thinking? I tolerated these childish obscenities when you were three, but you're nine now. Time to grow up and stop disgracing our family name…"

Theo stopped listening then, and desperately tried to focus on anything, absolutely anything in his mother's spartan study that would keep his magic from spiralling out of control.

"…what will Narcissa think when Draco…"

Slowly, he began to sear a 'T' into the wooden panelling on the wall with the magic that just begged to be let free, to destroy the thing that was making its Teddy so upset.

"...even let Draco see you anymore…"

Theo's ears reddened.

"…might even decide we're not worth their time…"

"…what will your father do…"

"…job in the Ministry depends on Lucius' influence…"

"…You are a worthless boy, Theodore Nott. Always thinking about yourself and never for the family. I wish we had Draco as a son instead. He's well-mannered, polite, charming, and he would never think of being so unruly…"

Boom.

Theo closed his eyes. The room around him blew outwards, and the last thing he noticed before he collapsed was his mother's face, still frozen in its harsh, stern expression.

* * *

"She's dead."

"What happened?"

"Some magical explosion. Woman didn't even have a chance. We were lucky the boy survived, as it is."

* * *

Theo sat in the library, listlessly thumbing through a children's storybook. He heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," he said, not looking up from the book.

"Mother says I'm not to se you anymore," Draco said stiffly. Theo looked up. Although his eyes reflected his uncertainty, his jaw was set, back straight, the perfect pureblood prince.

Theo closed his eyes slowly. Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes again, and nodded. He reached out for another book, and Draco took it as a sign to leave.

Theo looked down at the book he was now cradling in his lap. _Fourteen Ways To Teach Yourself the Magic of Occlumency_. He twitched, as if burned, and flung the book off his lap. It hit the floor face down, crumpling the open pages. He didn't bother to pick it up.

* * *

_You are a worthless boy, Theodore Nott. Always thinking about yourself…_

_Worthless boy… Always thinking about yourself… selfish…_

He was being selfish. He had been told over and over that restraining his magic could be disastrous, and not only to himself. Why was he doing it? He was scared. Fear was worthless. Worthless to be scared. He was worthless. Why? He didn't want to be worthless. Maybe by facing his fears he could be not worthless.

He picked up a copy of _Wandless Magic for Dummies _and began to read.

* * *

Theodore sat against his favourite tree, reading. A shadow fell on his book and he looked up. Above him stood a giant, skeletal horse with leathery wings and milky eyes. It reeked of death and magic.

Kneeling on bony knees, the horse lapped at a cut on Theo's hand, and Theo smiled.

"You understand, don't you?" he whispered.

* * *

_Written for the March Fireplace 1000 Words or Less Challenge. _


End file.
